Pondy teacher held for molesting Class 3 student

A 58-year-old teacher of a government primary school was arrested on Monday on charges of molesting an eight-year-old girl. This is the second time the teacher has been arrested on similar charges.

A woman lodged a complaint with the Bahour police on Monday that J Harikrishnan, from Tagore Nagar, Lawspet, had on August 28 sexually assaulted her daughter, studying in Class 3 at the Irulanchanthai Government Primary School.

The woman said she and her relatives had brought the issue to the notice of the school headmaster, seeking action against the teacher. But the headmaster did not take any action, forcing them to picket the school on Monday. They also blocked the road urging the government to book the teacher and suspend him.

Police personnel persuaded them to clear the road, assuring them of stringent action against the teacher. They booked Harikrishnan under Section 10 (punishment for aggravated sexualassault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and arrested him. They produced him before a local court, and he was remanded to judicial custody.

If convicted, Harikrishnan faces imprisonment for a term not less than five years, but which may extend to seven years, and a fine. Director (school education) E Vallavan ordered an inquiry into the incident.

This article was written byBosco Dominique and originally published on indiatimes